Electric switch.



PATENTBDMAY 16, 1905.

F. BUFFER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLIOATION FILED oo'r. a1, 1904.

r 0 t e m Witnesses Attorneys.

rate, as shown in Fig. 4.

Patented May 16V, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK HUFFER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,914, dated May 16, 1905.

Application filed October 3l, 1904. Serial No. 230,631.

T0 all whom, it may concern/.5

Be it known that I, FREDERICK I-IUFEER, a citizen of the United States, residingin the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

In an application for patent filed by me on April 9, 1904, Serial No. 202,382, I describe an electric switch in which the rotary contact member is actuated by a pawl-and-ratchet connection from the casing.

The object I have in view in the present invention is to actuate the contact member from the ornamental flange at the base of the candle, the casing being non-rotative for this purpose. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in section of a switch embodying my invention, showing it applied to a candle-light. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking upward. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the flange, pawls, and contact members, the parts being separated for greater clearness of illustration; and Fig. 4 is a section of a modication ot' the casing.

In all of the views like parts are designated by the same reference characters.

In carrying out my invention I provide a base 1, having a support 2, which is preferably tubular, as shown, and which carries a socket 3 for the lamp 4. Surrounding the support is a cup-shaped member 5, having a cylindrical extension 6, which constitutes a casing. The extension may be integral with the cup member, as shown in Fig. 1, or sepa- The extension 6 has a finished upper surface, upon which rests the disk 7, the disk being outside of the casing and surrounding the support. This disk is preferably made in imitation of the upper part of the Candlestick or of the plate usually arranged at the base of the candle.

Within the cup-shaped member 5 and surrounding the support 2 are the three cylindrical blocks 8, 9, and 10, which constitute contact members. These blocks are preferably made of porcelain or other insulating material. The block 8 is provided with a depending portion 11, which rests within the cup-shaped member 5, and a notch 12, which engages with a key or abutment 13, secured to the support 2, whereby the block 8 is prevented from rotating. The block 9 is provided with a depending portion 14,Whicli rests upon the block 8 and is provided with ratchetnotches 15 upon its periphery. The block 10 is also provided with a depending portion 16 and is provided also with notches 17. The alternate notches are provided with metal plates 18, which are connected to pins or rivets 19, which in turn are connected toa metal plate 20, embedded in the top of the block 10. To this plate the wire 21 is connected. The block 9 is provided with a helical spring-contact 22, arranged to surround the extension 16 and make engagement with the notches 17. This helix, in connection with the teeth 17, will constitute a switch of the snap variety, which will make and break contact Without objectionable sparking'. The anchored extremity of the helix after passing through the block 9 is electrically connected to a metal ring 23 o n the lower side ot' the block outside of the extension 14. The block 8 is provided with an elastic helix 24, which surrounds the extension 14 of the block 9 and engages with the ring 23. The anchored extremity of the helix 24 passes through the block 8 and at 25 is electrically connected with the Wire 26. The other portion ot' the circuit is made through a wire 27, which passes up the base and through the support 2 and is electrically connected at its upper end to the socket 3.

A cap 28, provided with a lange 29, surrounds t'ne support2 and rests within the disk 7. This cap 28 is secured in place by means of a set-screw 30, engaging with the support, and by means oi' which the disk 7 and blocks 8, 9, and 10 are held in position, the iiange 29 resting upon the disk. The cap is provided with a depending pin 31, which engages within an opening in the block 10 andprevents it from rotating.

The center block 9 is rotated by means of the disk 7 by means of suitable connections. This disk is provided with depending arms 32, which pass within the cylindrical extension 6 andy are provided at their extremities IOO with pawls 33, which engage with the ratchetnotches 15, constituting pawl-and-ratchet connections. These pawls are shown as made integral with the arms, the latter being made of elastic material; but this construction is not essential and may be departed from, it' desired or necessary.

Fiber insulation 34, 35, and 36 is provided within the member 5 and the extension 6 and below the cap 28.

The imitation candle 37 rests upon the block 28, as shown.

The electric circuit is as follows: The current passes through the wire 26, through the helix 24, the ring 23, the helix 22, and through one of the plates 18. From there it passes to the pin 19, ring 20, and Wire 21 to the socket 3, lamp 4, and returns through the wire 27. When the member 9 is rotated so that the helix engages with a notch 17 not provided with aplate 18, the current is broken at that place. The helices 22 and 24 are suliiciently iexible to permit the helix 22 to engage with the bases of the notches 17 even if the latter be quite deep. This is made possible by using a single helix on one side of each block. Contact is made and broken by rotation of the disk 7, which through the intermediary ofthe pawls 33 and ratchet-teeth 15 will rotate the block 9, lallowing the helix 22 to successively engage with the notches 17, alternately making and breaking the circuit. By means of the pawl-and-ratchet rotating mechanism there will be no danger of breaking any portion of the switch by the disk 7 being accidentally rotated in the wrong direction, for the pawls will idly rotate upon the ratchet-teeth when rotated in the wrong direction.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In an electric switch, the combination with a movable contact element, of a casing surrounding the element, a disk outside ot' the casing, and means connecting the disk and element for imparting motion in one direction to the movable element, such means beinginoperative in the other direction.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a movable contact element thereon, a casing surrounding the element, a disk outside of the casing, and means connecting the disk and element for imparting motion in one direction to the movable element,

such means being inoperative in the other direction.

3. In an electric switch, the combination with a movable contact element, the said element having notches in its periphery., of a casing surrounding the element, a disk outside of Y the casing and having a pawl, the said pawl being adapted to engage with the notches,

- and rotate the element by the rotation of the 4. In an electric switch,the combination of a movable contact element, a fixed element on each side thereof, the movable contact element having notches in its periphery, and a casing surrounding the element, a disk outside of the casing and having a pawl, the said pawl being adapted to engage with the notches.

5. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, a movable contact element thereon, the said element having notches in its periphery, of a casing surrounding the element, a disk outsideof the casing and having a pawl, the said pawl being adapted to engage with the notches.

6. In an electric switch, the combination of a support, a movable contact element thereon, a lixed contact element on each side thereof, the movable contact element having notches in its periphery, a casing surrounding the element and a disk outside of the casing and having a pawl, the said pawl being adapted to engage with the notches.

7. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a standard thereon, contact elements surrounding the standard, the said elements comprising cylinders of insulating material and electric contact-surfaces, the middle element having notches in its periphery, av casing surrounding the said middle element, a disk outside of the casing and carrying a pawl adapted to engage with the notches on the middle element and rotate the latter.

8. In an electric switch, the combination with a standard, of movable and lixed contact elements surrounding the standard, the movable element having ratchet-teeth on its periphery a casing surrounding the elements and a disk outside of the casing and carrying a pawl engaging with the ratchet-teeth.

9. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a casing surrounding the same, a movable contact-carrying member within the casing and surrounding the support, a disk outside the casing, and connections between the disk and moving member for rotating the latter.

10. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a casing surrounding the same, a moving contact member within the casing andy surrounding the support, a disk outside the casing, and pawl-and-ratchet con- IOO IIO

nections between the disk and member for romember having ratchet-teeth, a disk outside the casing, the said disk having depending members and pavvls thereon, the said paWls y engaging with the ratchet-teeth.

13. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a casing surrounding the same, a contact-block surrounding the support, means to prevent its rotation on the support, a rotary contact-block adjacent to the first block, a third block adjacent to the second block, a cap secured to the support and connections between the cap and third block to prevent rotation of the latter, the third block having ratchet-teeth, certain of the teeth having contact-plates, the second block having a spring member adapted to make electrical connection with the ratchet-teeth, the second block having ratchet-teeth, a disk outside ofthe casing, depending members carried by the disk, and pawls carried by the depending members engaging With the ratchetteeth on the second block, for rotating the latter.

14. In an electric switch, the combination With a support, of a casing surrounding the same, a contact-block surrounding the support,l means to prevent its rotation on the support, a rotary contact-block adjacent to the first block, a third block adjacent to the second block, a cap secured to the support, and having a pin engaging Within an opening in the third block to prevent rotation of the latter, the third block having ratchet-teeth, cer- 'FREDERICK HUFFER.

Witnesses:

LEONARD H. DYER, JOHN L. LoTscH. 

